History Fans Will Love Liam Neeson's Star-Studded Period Piece That's Streaming For Free

This post contains spoilers for "The Bounty."

Have you heard of the historical mutiny on the Royal Navy vessel, the HMS Bounty? The transport ship left England in 1787 on a mission to bring food to the West Indies, with Lieutenant William Bligh acting as the vessel's captain. Things took a turn for the worse during a five-month layover in Tahiti, where Bligh allegedly abused and punished his crew for slacking off/not following naval discipline as well as they should have. Understandably enraged by Bligh's extreme measures, acting-Lieutenant Fletcher Christian led a mutiny with many others, leaving Bligh and his loyalists adrift. These actions, however, had consequences: The mutineers were sought by the law, and some met terrible fates while others managed to survive.

While this recap of the incident is barebones for the sake of brevity, the HMS Bounty incident unfolded more dramatically than one might imagine. From an artistic perspective, the prospect of a passionate mutiny, an overthrown captain, and the punishments that followed are ingredients for a riveting story with solid dramatic stakes. As a result, the incident (known as The Mutiny on the Bounty) served as inspiration for several films, including the Errol Flynn-starrer "In the Wake of the Bounty" and MGM's "Mutiny on the Bounty," starring Charles Laughton and Clark Gable. There's also a version of the story with Trevor Howard as Captain Bligh and Marlon Brando as Christian (who flesh out the complex nuances of this historical dynamic to vivid effect).

Roger Donaldson ("Sleeping Dogs") took a stab at dramatizing the tale in his 1984 period drama, "The Bounty," where he presents Bligh (Anthony Hopkins) without morally contextualizing his actions, while Christian (Mel Gibson) is framed in a more complex light. The Bligh-Christian conflict feels more dramatic here, and the characters embodied by the talented ensemble cast (Laurence Olivier! Daniel Day-Lewis! Liam Neeson!) are as integral to this story of strife and betrayal as the two men at its center.

Before we dive into "The Bounty," let's talk about some behind-the-scenes aspects for a minute. It's interesting to note that the film began as a longstanding project for "Lawrence of Arabia" and "Summertime" director David Lean, who wanted to make it with frequent collaborator Robert Bolt. The initial plan was to make two films, one that would focus on the voyage and the mutiny, and another that would map the consequences of the incident. Paramount and producer Dino De Laurentis came on board soon after, prompting Lean to write a script by the end of 1978. However, due to bloated budget estimations, De Laurentis eventually backed out, while Bolt experienced health complications after a heart attack soon after. Lean had to abandon the project (after the principal cast was chosen), and directorial duties were eventually handed to Donaldson.

Although Lean's two-part epic might've been brilliant in its own right, Donaldson handled the tense subject matter remarkably well. In his version of the story, Bligh and Christian are friends, which intensifies the nature of their violent falling out and everything that follows. Moreover, Bligh's cruelty is not one-note like in most dramatizations of the story, as Hopkins imbues the Captain with incredible nuance. The character's self-assuredness does not stem from misplaced hubris, but from the acute awareness that certain human impulses need to be suppressed when you're on the clock.

The voyage in question has already been difficult from the get-go (even resulting in the death of a crewmate), which is why Bligh puts his faith in Christian, his trusted second-in-command. However, when Christian tires of the dangers of the journey and falls in love with a local woman on a Polynesian island, he inadvertently sets an example for the other crew members, who also give in to this sentiment of comfort and leisure. While Bligh's subsequent actions (although extreme) are not hard to discern, Christian's motivations feel rather complex, as he's a man of few words.

Let's also talk about Liam Neeson's character, who pops in now and then. In the film, Neeson plays Seaman Charles Churchill, whose real-life counterpart was the master at arms on board the Bounty, and later, an active member of the mutiny. Neeson's Churchill plays a similar role here, appearing in the background at key moments, such as when the mutineers surround Bligh and force him and his loyalists to remain adrift. As you might've probably guessed, Neeson's character (along with that of Day-Lewis' John Fryer) appears in a limited capacity, their presence overshadowed by the escalating tensions between Bligh and his second-in-command. Both Fryer and Churchill represent the strongest voices of the mutiny, where they mock the Captain as "Mr. Bligh-and-bloody-mighty" after he reveals his ambitions to go around Cape Horn.

If you're disappointed that Neeson doesn't play a more substantial role in this naval drama, you can check out some other projects that were part of his early filmography. A good showcase of Neeson's talent as a younger actor is John Boorman's "Excalibur," in which he plays King Arthur's nephew, Gawain. "Excalibur" was not only Neeson's feature debut, but also a glimpse into his strengths as a dramatic actor. Two years after appearing in "The Bounty," Neeson appeared in "The Mission," where the actor shared the screen with the likes of Robert De Niro and Jeremy Irons, while impressing us with his arresting screen presence. 

Neeson had steadily made a name for himself by this point, which earned him a coveted guest appearance in an episode of "Miami Vice," helping pave the path for high-profile roles that (eventually) launched him to superstardom. And Neeson fans still might appreciate his limited presence in "The Bounty," as it serves as an interesting contrast to the more challenging roles he took on during the same time period, along with the blockbuster performances to come. 

"The Bounty" might not be completely faithful to history, but it's a moving drama about a frayed friendship that ends with the worst outcome imaginable. The film is available to stream for free on PlutoTV and Prime Video at the moment, so be sure to check it out if you're craving a story set at sea.